


Don't Fear The Reaper

by Inkpaws



Category: Birds of Prey (Comic), DCU, Green Arrow (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, F/M, Mild Gore, Pre-Nu52 reboot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 09:39:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8440672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkpaws/pseuds/Inkpaws
Summary: Dinah is thrust into a universe where Oliver Queen is one of the last men standing in Star City. 
A mysterious disease has wiped out most of the world's superheros, the dead walk the Earth and there's no hope in sight.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ****Spoilers for 2001-2007 run of Green Arrow****  
>   This fic was written for the [Heroine Big Bang](http://heroinebigbang.livejournal.com/) on Livejournal. It is set in somewhere in the 2001-2007 run of _Green Arrow_ , After Ollie has returned from the dead and after Mia becomes Speedy. There are also some vague references to _The Longbow Hunters (1987)_ in regards to Dinah being unable bear children for a time, due to her injuries. 
> 
> (Also, if your are the type to be triggered, I suggest you do a little research before reading _The Long Bow Hunters_. I didn't and got a nasty surprise.)
> 
> A special thanks to my beta, [Lotrspnfangirl](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pdlessard07/pseuds/lotrspnfangirl) for taking me on and working her magic in such a short amount of time.
> 
> Title from the song [_(Don't Fear) The Reaper_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClQcUyhoxTg)by Blue Öyster Cult
> 
> Gorgeous art by the wonderful and all round bodacious babe, [Dreammaidenn](http://archiveofourown.org/users/dreammaidenn) (Don't forget to check out her writing too, it's awesome.)

* * *

 

 

Dinah has just enough time to see the horror forming on Helena's face before the world flickers and bursts around her.  
  
She's thrown forward with only seconds to brace herself for impact. On autopilot, Dinah tucks her body in for a roll. But the momentum is too fast and she's sent tumbling. She catches snatches of the sky, so blue and bright compared to the nighttime of moments ago, as dirt and grass slam into her shoulders before she finally comes to a stop.  
  
Dinah takes a few seconds to just breathe, dizzy and disorientated, her entire body aching like she'd been through a meat grinder.

 

_What the hell just happened?_  
  
Pulling herself up, she realizes it's day, she’s not in the warehouse and Helena is nowhere to be seen. Instead, she's at the bottom of a grassy hill, who knows where.    
  
She tries her comm, ignores the shaking of her voice, "Oracle, Oracle?"  
  
Her reply is nothing but empty static. Not a good sign, Dinah.  
  
Something had hit her, enveloped her body at a lightning fast speed… and she ended up here. _Why?_  
  
They were busting up a small arms dealer trying to set up shop in Gotham. The weapons were destined to fall into the hands of local gangs and drug dealers and consisted mostly of handguns, pistols, and grenades. Magical or scientific artifacts were not on the agenda, Barbara would have briefed them had she known.

 

She hopes that Helena is alright. Dinah knows that the woman is more than capable of looking after herself but they were both blindsided. Who knows what could be happening back on their end.

  
Carefully, she crawls up the hill, ignoring the ache in her shoulder. A road comes into view—she's lucky she didn't clip the guard rail on her way down. Where exactly she is starts to make itself apparent; she's been on this stretch of road before, many times. The familiar skyline of Star City stretching out only a short distance away.  
  
How did she get here? One minute she's in Gotham City, the next she's a stone's throw away from Star—

Traffic isn't moving. There's not a person in sight.

 

Cars are scattered along the road, many parked haphazardly with doors open like the occupants had no choice but to flee.

 

The breeze is gentle, cooling her skin and tousling her hair as she approaches. Dinah keeps her eyes peeled for any sign of movement, her body wracked with tension. A sense of foreboding is racing up her spine when she reaches the first vehicle. A thick layer of dirt and dust tells her that it's been here a while. But that doesn't make any sense— she had spoken to Mia and Connor the day before! Neither had mentioned any trouble.  
  
Or why it's so damn quiet.  
  
She needs to find one of her Arrows and get to the bottom of this.

 

~~~*~~~

 

Things only get worse from there.  
  
Dinah's red flags are waving, jumping up and down and doing somersaults by the time she reaches the inner city. The ominous feeling was almost tangible when people failed to appear, dead or alive.  
  
Star City had clearly seen better days. Rubbish and debris lined the streets, abandoned cars were common fixtures, some rusting, others burned out. Glass glittered the pavement of shop fronts and homes alike. It was hard to reconcile the Cities previous grandeur to this empty shell. Something big had obviously gone down— Gods, Oliver, Mia, Connor... where the hell are you?

She'd tries calling Barbara, calling anyone on her comm. Hands shaking, she fiddles with the frequency at her ear, but to no avail.  
  
The power is out and the dark interior of the buildings around her start playing tricks on her. She continues to catch movement in the peripheral of her vision, only to turn and find shadows.  
  
Roughly forty-minutes later, she's tempted to yell and scream for someone, for anyone to hear her.  
  
This silence—it's grating her nerves something fierce.  
  
Dinah starts digging around for more clues, grabs littered newspapers that weren't soggy and ink bled. They’re dated several moths ago and read:  
  
_'Epidemic! What you need to know and how to keep your family safe.'_

  


  
Her brows furrow. Dinah's just starting to read the article when she hears it—soft, whisper of cloth. Dragging, rasping breath.  
  
She whirls on the source. A person, a man is hobbling towards her. Dinah breathes a sigh of relief. Finally civilization. The man stumbles, groan falling from his slackened mouth, and he appears to be injured.  
  
Dinah takes a step forward. "Are you alright? Sir?" She doesn't have any medical supplies on her, but the hospital is bound to.

 

The man ignores her. As he gets closer, Dinah gets a better look at him. His clothes are torn and ragged, blood dried in patches on his pants and sleeves. More injured than she first thought then.  
  
"Wait, you're hurt," she tries again, raising her hands in a placating manner.  
  
The man lifts his head and Dinah freezes. His face is an unnatural parlor, eyes glazed completely white. Soulless and empty, his gait hastens, as if having found his target. A croaking noise rises from his throat, the hairs on the back of Dinah's neck stand on end in response.  
  
_What is this creature? Surely it's not human._ Falling into a fighting stance, she's knocks the man back as soon as her gets within range.  
  
The man merely staggers, as if confused, then charges forward. Dinah dances out of his reach. How should she proceed? How much force can she really use on this guy?  
  
More groans and shuffling catch her attention. A group of people are moving towards them, blood staining their clothes and mouths. Dear, God! Some of them were missing lips and ears, limbs even!  
  
Can't be alive then, they can't be.  
  
_EPIDEMIC._  
  
There's another word on the tip of her tongue, but she refuses to believe it. Instead, she focuses on making it out of this alive.  
  
They swarm around her, grabbing and- _yikes!-_ biting at her. Dinah barely manages to avoid each lunge as the crowd around her tightens. Only seconds and they'll be upon her!  
  
No choice, she has to use the cry.  
  
She opens her mouth, unleashing her high pitched cry.  It ripples through the air. The creatures clutch at their heads, letting out guttural screams. But it doesn't last for long and after a moment they continue to move unheeded. Then Dinah's ears prickle, a tell tale swish cuts through the chaos.  
  
An arrows lodges itself through one creature's head. Dinah stares dumbfounded before her instincts kick into gear and she ducks, sweeps, and maneuvers her way out of the crowd.  
  
Another arrow lands nearby, wisps of white smoke burst out, obscuring her.  She uses it to gain some distance from the creatures, their shapes disappearing into the fog.  
  
"That was the last one," a familiar voice announces.  
  
Dinah turns around, heart leaping in her chest. "Oliver—"  
  
She barely gets a look at him before a sharp pain erupts on the side of her head and she's swallowed by darkness.

 

~~*~~

 

When Dinah wakes, she's strapped down to a gurney in a fully restored Arrow Cave. Which gives her feelings of nostalgia and alarm. Last she heard from Roy, the place was a wreck. When would Oliver even have the time to fix it, let alone the compulsion? He didn't appear eager to get back into Queen manor and seemed rather happy with his new set up at Dover's House.

  
She cranes her neck to get a better look around and takes in a sharp breath. Oliver sits behind a small metal table a short distance away, watching her. Dinah freezes under his gaze. She still didn't have enough information. Why would Oliver save her and then tie her up?

  
He knows better than to tie her up, or he should. True, she's managed to contain a lot of the fear and anxiety, but there are things that still linger, like a phantom touch.

  
Dinah looks at him, _really_ looks at him. More alarm bells start to ring. He's weathered in a way that he's almost unrecognizable as the spirited archer she loves.

  
"You certainly look like her,” Oliver says offhandedly, leaning back into the chair, "but, I'm not mad enough yet to think you are her. So tell me who you really are, not pretty bird."

  
"What? Oliver, what's going on here? One minute I was in Gotham, next thing I know I'm lying by the interstate and Star City looks like a war zone—with mutants! Or whatever the hell those things were."

  
"Zombies," he says solemnly, "is the technical term."

  
Dinah stares. "No, it isn't."

  
Because, it couldn't be. Grundy, sure, but zombies? _Zombies?_ On the other hand, in their line of work? Anything goes. And there was no way she could deny what she'd seen with her own eyes.

  
Oliver shrugs. "Yeah, huh... they're the walking undead. Zombies, Dinah."

  
Now Dinah is really starting to worry. Something terrible has happened, that she is sure of. But now, Oliver is deflecting and that's never a good sign....

  
"Where is everyone? Roy, Connor, Mia?" She looks around as if they might appear.

  
His face shutters and darkens. Dinah's chest grows tight, she can't breathe, dread grips her and she shakes her head. Because this is wrong, everything is wrong.

  
"No..."

  
"Dinah—"

  
"No, you're lying! I talked to them a few days ago. They were fine!"

 

Distantly she realizes she's having a panic attack, but there's little she can do against the paralyzing sense of wrongness that pervades her being.

  
“Who's Mia?"

  
Dinah stops, chest heaving, tears burning at her eyes. "What?"

  
"You asked after ‘Mia’. Who is she?"

  
Slowly, Dinah takes a few deep breath, wills herself to calm down. She has to have clear head if she is going to figure this out.

  
"T-the girl you saved! She was a prostitute. You took her in, remember?"

  
Oliver frowns. "Sorry, not ringing any bells."

  
They both just stare at each other.

  
"I think," Oliver begins, "that you should tell me what happened before you ended up here."

  
"How do I know I can trust you?"

  
Leaning back, he shrugs. "You don't, but at this point neither of us have a lot to go on. So..."

 

~~*~~

 

"You got hit by something, then?"

 

Oliver had moved the chair to sit beside the gurney. He has yet to untie Dinah, but given the circumstance she can't exactly begrudge him the precaution.

  
Dinah nods. "Yes, but I didn't see by what… I guess we're going with the alternate universe theory, then?"

_Because this is her life now._

  
Stroking his beard, Oliver sighs. "Well, that would explain the absence of this Mia person."

  
_Possibly..._

  
"But if magic is involved," Dinah points out evenly, "maybe someone else has set this whole thing up. Made you forget Mia."

  
"What would anyone have to gain by doing that?"

  
"She is the second Speedy."

  
Oliver blinks. "Really? Huh… And what did Roy think of that, I wonder?"

  
There's a whole lot of history there that Dinah doesn't feel like getting into.

  
"He likes Mia," is all she says.

  
"Alright." He claps his hands together. "I think we should compare our lives so far, see if we can rule a few things out." Looks like she won't be getting a choice in the matter.  Some of it must show on her face because Oliver chuckles. "Still don't trust me?"

  
Dinah opens her mouth to defend herself when he leans in, cocky, sure smirk on his face.

  
"C'mon, Dinah, if you show me yours, I'll show you mine."

 

Dinah snorts. Oliver must be rusty if that's the best he's got. "Fine, but could you please untie me first? This could take a while and I want to at least be comfortable."

  
This time, it's Oliver who looks reluctant. "Maybe, none of those things bit you did they?"

  
"No."

  
"Still, it's routine to check—uhm, body search?"

  
Dinah glares. "If this is some perverted farce to get me out of my clothes-”

  
"No! No, if I wanted to get you out of your clothes, I'd have have done so while you were unconscious."

  
She lets the look on her face speak for itself.

  
"...That sounded more comforting in my head."

  
"I'll do it," a feminine voice calls from somewhere Dinah can't see.

  
A middle aged woman comes from behind the gurney. She's short with hunched shoulders, but there's an authoritative air about her.

  
She leans over Dinah. "I'm sorry. But due to the nature of the disease, and how it spreads, it's imperative for the safety of all those around you that a body check is performed to make sure you aren't infected."

  
Dinah processes all that and nods, resigned. "I understand."

 

~~*~~

 

Dinah is untied, a curtain is drawn, and the inspection begins. She can see Oliver standing guard on the other side, just in case Dinah is an enemy and attacks the mystery woman.  
  
"You're lucky it was Oliver who found you," the woman says, "If it'd been one of the survivor groups, you'd have been turned inside out the second you were through the door."  
  
"There are other survivors?" It'd been a literal ghost town when Dinah arrived.  
  
"Yes, there are a few groups left. They have various shelters throughout the city. Not all of them are too friendly, deadly even, to outsiders."  
  
It's quickly becoming apparent that there is no cure for this... 'affliction'.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The woman looks up, short brown hair in her eyes. "My name is Rose, I live here." And that's all she tells her before going back to work.  
  
The inspection is mercifully quick, helped by Rose's clinical eyes and no nonsense approach. She's given a clean bill of health, bar some bruising on her shoulder.

 

~~*~~

 

 

This time, Oliver takes her back upstairs into the study. The Queen Manor hasn't changed much, though windows are boarded up, furniture is pressed up against door ways. The study has been tidied, the air less thick with dust. Books are stacked in piles around the room since the bookshelves are being repurposed as barriers. The fire is lit when she gets there, warming her as she takes her seat on a old leather couch.  
  
Oliver takes the chair opposite hers, stroking his beard in thought, a habit that crosses dimensions.

 

Rose enters the room with a tray, handing Dinah a glass of water. It tastes a little different than she's used to but she can't put her finger on why.  
  
"It's filtered," Oliver says absently. "Water has become a precious commodity."  
  
"Ah." _Well that answers that._ "So where do we begin?"  
  
"The beginning is always good--"  
  
"Oliver," Rose interrupts after handing him a small glass with brandy, "I shall be in the other room."  
  
He nods. "Thank you, Rose." There’s a pause, then Oliver continues, "As I was saying, the start is good. But, that's not what you want to talk about."  
  
"No," Dinah admits.  
  
"Go on, I won't bite. Not unless you ask." The grin on his face is forced, completely out of sync with the dull, empty blue of his eyes.  
  
It's unsettling, so she blurts out, "What the hell happened, Oliver?"  
  
His gaze shifts to the fireplace, it's orange glow illuminating his face and casting stark shadows. Dinah is once again struck by how worn he looks. Oliver begins, voice a quiet rumble. "It started in Gotham… Which, looking back, was the worst place it could have started."  
  
"How so?"  
  
His features twist into something akin to self-deprecating. "Took out the Bats, really could've used their expertise. Maybe, maybe then we would've have a chance."  
  
Dinah's jaw drops. "God, all of them?"  
  
Oliver shrugs in a faux-casual manner. "There are rumors that Red Robin, Tim survived. But they're unlikely to ever be confirmed." The fire crackles in the background as he continues, "According to the last Intel, Alfred, the Butler, was the first to contract the disease. But of course nobody knew until it was too late… He went to wake Bruce for breakfast and attacked him. Ripped his throat right out."

 

He takes a sip of his brandy, wincing. The disease must be fast acting and with little to no symptoms for Bruce not to have noticed its presence.  
  
It takes Dinah a moment to find her voice again. "H-how did you get this Intel?"  
  
"Dick," he says simply. "Roy headed over there at the first sign of trouble. He brought him back… but, after losing everyone like that, it pushed him over the edge. He was savage and reckless... decapitating the infected became like a game to him." He downs the rest of his drink in one gulp, and sighs. "In the end, it killed them both."  
  
Dinah held her breath.  
  
"Dick was on one of his rampages, only this time he was out numbered. Roy went back for him. And that's, that's the last time I ever saw him, alive."

 

His tone is steady, but there's no hiding the dampness in Oliver’s eyes.  A chill forms in her bones, and Dinah is ninety-nine percent sure that this isn't her universe, not her Oliver, or her Roy, and yet her heart feels like it's been crushed.

 

Roy and Dick are supposed to survive, no matter what. It's a promise she made to herself every time she was out on the field with a young hero or vigilante. Come hell or high water, Dinah was making sure they got home that night.

 

Of course, reality was often without such mercy.

  
She has to ask, "Were they infected?"  
  
Oliver laughs, it's bitter. "I couldn't leave them Dinah. With Connor and Hal's help we were able to get through the hoard. Found 'em hold up in a room in Montrose Tower with a matching set of bullet holes in their heads."

 

Dinah blinks, shocked. _Suicide._ That didn't seem like either of them. Oh, oh, better a quick death than torn apart by zombies. If they were anything like their counterparts in her universe, then they had more than earned the right to die by their own hands rather than suffer needlessly.

 

Tears burn at her eyes. God, what they must have been thinking in their final moments? At least they were together.

"Can't help but think that if only they'd held on a little longer… I could've--" He shakes his head. "Obviously, Roy wasn't counting on me having his back."

Nope, Dinah wasn't having that. She gets up and closes the short distance between them, reaching for Oliver's hand.

"Oliver, you know that's not true," she tells him gently, looking directly into his eyes. "Whatever he was thinking, I can guarantee it wasn't that. Because it's Roy. And knowing Roy, he was probably thinking that he let Dick down, or you, or both--"

 

"He didn't--It wasn't his fault."

 

"I know," she says, tears starting to fall, "I know, but that's our boyo. Always taking the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

 

He lets his glass fall to the floor. It lands on the carpet with a dull thud. With his free hand, he runs his fingers through her hair. She leans into the touch, allows a moment to forget the outside world, her world.

 

"Afterwards--we burnt their bodies. Couldn't bear having them rise."

 

A terrible thought occurs to her. "What about Lian?"

 

His eyebrows furrow. "Another name that I'm not familiar with. Should I know her?"

 

Considering all that's happened, it's probably a blessing. She shakes her head., "Never mind, how about we take a break?"

 

He nods, a slight twist to his mouth. "I think that's an excellent idea.'

~~*~~

 

Oliver leaves her for a moment to speak with Rose, Dinah sees him disappear down one of the hallways and decides to have a quick look around.

 

The rest of the first floor doesn't seem all that different. She finds a bathroom with a bucket beside the toilet, which, honestly, she hadn't even thought of. Windows are blocked out, however small, cardboard and duct tape used to obscure them.

 

Dinah makes her way to the kitchen, fingertips traveling over the too warm and clearly off fridge.  She'd have thought that they would use a generator for this at least. How are they storing their food?

 

She is distracted from this thought by a line of plastic bottles on the bench, all upside down with the bottoms cut off and sitting in large glass cups for balance.  The bottles were filled with sand, gravel and charcoal. The mouths of the bottles are covered in paper towels, some even coffee filters.

 

And now Dinah knows where her water form earlier came from.

 

"Ah, there you are," Oliver's voice cuts through, startling her. "I'd wondered where you'd gone off to." He's standing in the doorway, shadows obscuring his expression. Dinah takes a second to slow down her heart rate,  feeling distinctly like a kid with their hand caught in the cookie jar.

 

She tries to explain, "I was--"

 

"For a second there, I'd thought I'd dreamed you up."

 

And what does one say to that? Her suspicions about the fate of her alternate self are all but confirmed. Oliver steps into the kitchen and Dinah can see him clearly.  

 

"No worries darlin'," he interrupts, though Dinah notes his eyes are tight. "Next time though, a heads up wouldn't be amiss."

 

Now she feels bad and a little creeped out. "I'm sorry."

 

"It's alright," he says with a sombre tone, "I'm just a little easier to fluster nowadays."

 

The silence that follows is a heavy one. Eyes darting around for a quick change in subject, Dinah lands back on the fridge. "So, how do you store food, salt and tin cans?"

 

He snorts. "Something like that… We do keep a lot of the food in the cellar. Helps preserve it."

 

It looks like it cost him to admit that to her, like her knowing where he stored food was a vulnerability to be exploited.

 

"Rose is going to whip us up some rice," he says somewhat cheerfully. " We don't have anything to go with it at the moment but--"

 

Unable to stand a second more of the awkward, she grabs onto it like a lifeline.

 

"No!" she practically shouts, raising her hands. Clearing her throat she tells him, "That sounds lovely."

 

~~*~~

 

They dine in a room that was clearly not the dinning room before. If Dinah recalls correctly, it had more windows and a grand chandelier. Classic Queen excess.

 

When she mentions this to Oliver, he shrugs. "It's easier to eat somewhere where there's little chance of light escaping and alerting the beasts."

 

Rose does not eat with them, supposedly taking her meal in her room. Her inner curiosity flares. There's something they are not telling her.

 

The table has several candles all melted at various stages, the wax dried into the table cloth. The chairs don't match and the room is somewhat filthy, yet it still feels surprisingly homey.  The rice is plain as promised, but Dinah isn't bothered. Even if it does make her miss Oliver's homemade chili.

 

They eat in silence, Oliver's gaze never straying away from hers. It's hard not to feel self-conscious by his attentions. When Dinah's finished, she tries to pick up where they left off, if only to escape the intense scrutiny.

 

"So what happened to everyone else?"

 

"Hmm?" he says over his glass, this time filled with water.

 

"The Justice League, you mentioned Hal was around. What happened to them all?"

 

"Gone, I suppose?"

 

"You don't know?" she asks incredulous.

 

Oliver shrugs. "Lines of communication have been hard to maintain, once the electricity went."

 

"What about generators, surely some of them survived?"

 

"Yes, but unfortunately the sound, or vibrations, have a knack for attracting the living dead. I got some equipment down in the cave, but it's too risky to run it."

 

Dinah saves that information for later.

 

"Earlier you said that the disease started in Gotham, that Alfred was a part of the first wave. How did Bruce not notice?" She finds it hard to believe a decline in Alfred's health would slip passed the detective or his protégé's.

 

"Well, supposedly there were no bite marks on the man's body. But, his bite did turn the Bat into a real life ghoul."

 

"And there were no symptoms?"

 

"Dick thought that he'd been coming down with a cold a few days prior… you can imagine how he felt afterwards."  Dinah winces, Oliver continues, "The world fell to pieces seemingly overnight. Police and hospitals were spread thin and unequipped for the chaos."

 

Something has been bugging her since she got here. "When I got here, there were a lot of cars left on the interstate. What stopped them from leaving?" She'd have thought that a car would be a decent last line of defense against zombies.

 

"Oh, once it became apparent law enforcement couldn't handle the situation, the gangs tried to take over. Justin Marx and the other syndicates battled it out for while. In this particular case, they were imposing a toll on those trying to leave the city, threatening to shoot anyone who didn't pay up. One of them was waving a detonator for a bomb around when I showed up. Everyone cleared out pretty quick after that."

 

He lowers his head, "I diffused it. But the damage was done. Those that ran...ran straight into the infected. It was a blood bath."

 

"Gangs didn't last long, though. Their numbers dwindled, survival became key, and most accepted that they had to do their part or die." Leaning forward, he continues, "Everyone I knew and loved are dead or missing. There's no cure, no hope, humanity is holding on by a thread." His teeth are sharp when he grins. "Wanna go home yet?"

 

~~*~~

 

Dinah is lead back down to the Arrow cave. The computer is gathering dust, but Oliver flicks it on. "I don't know how to get you home, but there might be someone out there who does."

 

"I thought you said they were all gone."

 

"Well, they’re dead mostly," he answers briskly. "Some were immune, of course, different physiology and what not."

 

"Superman."

 

Oliver taps his nose.

 

"Then--"

 

"178 days ago, he, Lex Luthor, and few other sciency types holed themselves up in the watchtower. Supposedly workin' on a cure. Haven't heard from them since. I check in every thirty days if I can, see if anyone's gotten a message out. But no such luck. "

 

The software appears dated as Oliver logs into the messaging system.

 

"Like I said, the noise might attract the beasts. But, every now and then shouldn't hurt. I'll send out a mayday, see who answers."

 

Surprised, she can't help but ask, "You'd risk that for me?"

 

He looks at her for a long moment. "You are not _my_ Dinah. But there's no way in hell I will willingly condemn another to this nightmare again. In exchange you can help me beef up security."

 

~~*~~

 

Oliver brought down a dusty mattress from the manor and Dinah spends the night in the cave. No surprise, she can't sleep.

 

Over the past few hours, she'S been given a lot of information to chew over.

 

Barbara is probably pulling her hair out and Helena is probably pulling the henchman's teeth out trying to figure out what happened to her.

 

That's going with the theory that only she was affected.

 

Her thoughts just won't turn off. Perhaps a glass of water would help? Rose said she was welcome to have one...

 

Taking her candle, she carefully makes her way back upstairs.

 

The manor is warmer than the cave and she feels much calmer above ground. It's then she hears a sound, a muffled voice. And is someone crying?

 

But, the pitch is all off… Is that… a baby?

 

Following the sound, Dinah wanders down the hall she saw Rose and Oliver disappear into. One of the doors is cracked open, faint light cutting through the darkness. She pushes open the door, revealing Oliver leaning over a crib, a blonde haired baby in his arms.

 

Oliver looks alarmed, curling the baby away from Dinah.

 

She raises her hands in a placating manner. "Whoa, calm down, Oliver. I mean no harm."

 

He deflates. "So I may have been tweaking the truth when I said all my loved ones were dead." Turning towards her, Oliver allows her to see the bundle. "My soul exception."

 

It's a girl, with a blonde mess of hair and blue eyes. She can't be more than a few months old.

 

"Is she--"

 

He nods. "Dinah and I's."

 

<i>"I love you, Oliver. And I'd love to make babies with you. But I won't make orphans."</i>

 

Dinah feels a mix of emotions, shock and awe being the most prominent. "What's her name?"

 

Oliver gazes down fondly. "Olivia."

 

Olivia, Dinah decides, is perfect.

 

~~*~~

When Dinah opens the front door, there are holes all around the property. Three major ditches take up most of the front lawn. It's not at all what she was expecting when Oliver mention beefing up security.

 

"I'm in the middle of digging one, its the one closest to the fence line," he says, excitedly.

 

They climb in and out of the ditches and it feels so unnecessary that Dinah has to ask,"Why don't you leave a plank, make it easier to cross?"

 

It goes without saying the level of yuck she feels after Oliver told her that he burns the bodies of zombies in the ditches. But, only the ones that get across the fence.

 

"As Rose mentioned, there are more than zombies to fear out there. Best not to make yourself an easier target," he informs her cheerfully.

 

Dinah suspects he's enjoying this way too much.

 

Handing her shovel, Oliver smirks. "If you see a pipe or cable? Stop."

 

"No kidding."

 

They start digging.  

 

After what feels like an age, Dinah works up the courage mention something else that's been on her mind. "You didn't say what happened to your Dinah and Connor." She thinks of Olivia, and what that might mean for her.

 

He raises an eyebrow at her. "Do I have to?"

 

"No, I suppose not."

 

~~*~~

 

Two weeks later, Oliver asks Dinah if she wants to go visit a camp of survivors. Going stir crazy and eager to get out of the mansion, she agrees.

 

Oliver stops her at the door. "You can't go out in that."

 

Dinah looks down at her outfit, her Black Canary costume.

 

"Why?" she demands, a touch defensively.

 

"Y'know I love your style, Pretty Bird. But all that flesh showin' is like ringing the dinner bell. There's a box full of D--her clothes in my room. Why don't you go pick something out? Make sure it covers you from head to toe.”

 

And that's how Dinah finds herself with the slightly morbid task of going through her dead, alternate’s clothes.

 

For the past two weeks when she's needed clothes, Oliver has given her some of his to wear. It seems he was reluctant to give up this last reminder of his wife. Dinah couldn't begrudge him that, which is why she never said anything, despite Oliver's clothes dwarfing her frame.

 

Oliver's rooms is sparse with few furnishings. He has a desk tucked away in a corner. Its a mess of papers and maps, the larger map pinned to the wall is of Star City. Sections are colored with black, marked 'no-go zones.'

 

There are a few scattered red crosses drawn in, which leave Dinah feeling cold. Green areas appear to be survivor camps. Attached to one is a post it note reading: Dangerous, stay away.

 

Dinah opens the trunk full of clothes. She starts pulling them out when something catches her eye. Pulling back the lid for further inspection, she finds photographs taped underneath.

 

One is a wedding photo, a beaming Oliver and Dinah stare back into the camera. Another is of Connor, at what appears to be a graduation. There's a few more candid shots of the family and friends, a larger photo of all four of them at Dinah's bedside with ainy Olivia in her arms, a proud Oliver and Connor flanking her side.

 

She picks up a lingering scent of perfume, one she stopped wearing years ago. Most of the people in the photo's are probably dead.

 

Depressed, she quickly picks out a pair of denim jeans and long sleeved shirt. She tops it with her black jacket for extra protection.  

 

"Better," Oliver declares when she tells him she's ready. He hands her an aluminum bat, for emergencies.

 

~~*~~

 

They run into a couple of zombies on the way. Dinah takes the lead, trying to avoid Oliver using all of his arrows.

 

"Don't worry so much, I can come back for them later," he declares.

 

She swings the bat and hears the telltale crunch, the second zombie falls down in a crumpled heap. She's reminded of Harley Quinn and her hammer.

 

Oliver takes out the rest with his arrows, ripping the projectiles out as they go by.

 

~~*~~

 

Tinder Smith stadium, former home Court of the Star City Thunder.

 

Before they go inside, Oliver grabs her arm. "My Dinah rarely left home, she was too paranoid about leaving Olivia."

 

"And?"

 

"These people have only seen you from a distance, they have not met you in any shape or form. You may have to endure a full body inspection," he finishes with a cringe.

 

Shaking his arm off, she snaps, "You really could have mentioned that before we got here!"

 

"I know, but they trust me. I might be able to vouch for you."

 

Dinah eyes him. "That's a big gamble, Oliver."

 

"Do you trust me?"

 

"Oh, for the love of--"

 

~~*~~

 

Oliver knocks on the door, obviously in code. They are ushered inside by a group of people carrying weapons. A man, identifying himself as Marcus, approaches them. "You both clean?"

 

"Of course, you know I wouldn't risk anyone here," Oliver replies, indignant.

 

"At least check her hair?" another person suggests.

 

Marcus shrugs. "Sorry, Arrow. You know how it is."

 

Dinah endures a second inspection, thankfully not as invasive as the first. Brushing her hair aside, she allows the man to inspect her neck.

 

"We will trust that you haven't brought us in one of the infected. But, she is to remain with you at all times and is not to interact with any of the children."

 

"I won't," Dinah answers, a little peeved at being spoken about as if she's not there.

 

Once they've made it out of the lobby the head to the center of the building.  Makeshift beds line the court, filled with people. A mother is rationing out bottle water to her children. Everyone's attention is suddenly on her and Oliver, who simply waves.

 

Looking around, there are quite a few people with shaved heads. They are segregated a ways away from the rest of the community.

 

Oliver notices her staring and leans in, voice low. "That's what would have happened to you had you arrived here," he explains. "Newcomers have to keep their hair short and are separated from the rest of them till the changing period is over. Long hair hides bite wounds." He laughs darkly. "Of course, as you can see, people still are wary of them even after they don't turn. Actual quarantine is next door."

 

~~*~~

 

They go back a few times.

 

The people seem less wary of her, but still stay clear.

 

Today, she and Oliver are helping move a few of the new boxed goods the group had managed to pick up in a raid.

 

"One day, when Olivia is older, I'm going to get a boat, rustle up the remaining survivors, and head out to Starfish island." He puts down a box and raises his hand off into the distance. "Then we ride the whole thing out."

 

"The Apocalypse?" Dinah clarifies, 'cause there's no point in denying it now.

 

"Yeah, one day," he says absently.

 

~~*~~

 

 

It's unbearably hot and even so it takes a lot of convincing for Oliver to open one of the windows.

 

But, only on the second floor and it has to be his bedroom. He claims it's the most fortified and Dinah doesn't argue.

 

Then he tells her quite seriously, that in the event of zombie infestation, if the cave is inaccessible, to head up stairs. “There's a pickaxe within arm’s reach of the top landing, use it to defend yourself and possibly destroy the stairs behind you if time allows.”

 

Dinah takes this plan in with a nod. He has a tendency to run multiple scenarios by her, sometimes asking for her input. She appreciates it because she knows it's his way of trying to keep everyone safe. But occasionally, she gets the feeling that she's being tested.

 

Today, he is somewhat more relaxed, or perhaps the heat has left him feeling lethargic and drained. Nonetheless, he keeps his contingencies to a minimum. She's relieved, because there's no way she wouldn't end up snapping at him in this heat.

 

Dinah is playing with Olivia on bed. Initially grumpy after bath time, Olivia's mood has since picked up after Dinah finds all of her ticklish spots.

 

The breeze is warm and it brings in a rich perfume from outside. Cicadas chirp loudly from beyond the window and Dinah's feeling relaxed.

 

Olivia's laughter fills the room and Dinah, helpless against that smile, finds herself joining in. A short time later she looks up. Oliver is leaning against the doorway, an odd expression on his face.

 

"What?"

 

He simply smiles. "Nothin'."

 

~~*~~

 

 

After a few rigorous patrols, Oliver has decided to update his maps.

 

They're all piled into the study, Oliver having dragged out a desk from somewhere, and he’s hunched over the map of Star City.

 

The fire is out tonight, Rose confessing that they tend not to light it that often for fear of attracting unwanted attention. Dinah has a feeling she's not just talking about the zombies. One of these days, Dinah's going to have to get the woman's back story.

 

Candles are lit, some sitting on expensive looking plates, giving them enough light to see by.

 

Oliver brought a small candelabrum from upstairs, setting it on the desk and using it to weigh down the paper that curls at the edge. He treats the maps with such care that Dinah is starting to suspect that what was borne out of survival has turned into a hobby for him.

 

Rose is sewing some of Oliver's clothes, tucked away in the corner with her head down. She's fixed some of Dinah's own clothes, in spite of her protests. Dinah has learnt not to push Rose on these matters. Every time she did, an unreadable expression would fall over the woman's face and leave Dinah feeling rather uncomfortable. Oliver said it had something to do with 'their' Dinah and to let it be. She did, slowly coming to terms with the fact that she'll probably never learn all the secrets this universe had to offer.  

 

It is frustrating to say the least.

 

Hopefully, she'll be on her way home soon. Though, the thought does not fill her with as much comfort as it did previously. She's going to miss this Oliver, and has been steadily warming up to Rose. But most of all, Dinah's going to miss Olivia. Their lifestyles weren't ideal for a child, in this universe or hers, that fact remains undisputed. And yet, this Oliver and Dinah had decided to have one anyway.

 

And Olivia had already lost one parent... was it worth it?

 

Still, if she hadn't been robbed of that choice for such a long time, Dinah wonders if she would have been able to stick to her guns.

 

Olivia lifts her head a looks up at Dinah as if sensing her thoughts, stubby hand stuffed in her mouth. Dinah smiles, bouncing her on her lap. She looks to where Oliver’s attention is focused on the map and says, "Smith Avenue was crawling with them."

 

They had stuck to the rooftops as the zombie moved about aimlessly below. The area seemed to be becoming a hot spot. Given that there didn't appear to be any viable food source, Dinah wondered what kept them coming back. Oliver had said that the zombies patterns didn't always have a rhyme or reason, they tended to migrate back and forth throughout the city without cause.

 

Oliver ‘hmms’ and grabs a black marker.

 

They drift into a comfortable silence, broken only by the scratch of the marker and occasional snap of thread. Dinah looks down at Olivia once more, sees the baby's eyelids drooping and feels her warm little body leaning into hers.

 

The warm feeling in her chest swells.

 

~~*~~

 

It's pitch black and far too dangerous to keep to regular patrol routes. They were supposed to go visit Marcus at the camp, discuss food storage over the coming winter. Instead they are perched on a fire escape, where they were probably going to stay until morning.

 

"Every night I'm out here, I'm terrified," Oliver confesses, like it's a sin.

 

Dinah nudges him with her shoulder. "Well, that's a give in. Zombies, Oliver."

 

He doesn't respond, staring out into the cold night. Dinah doesn't like when he gets like this, it's eerie seeing his usually animated features so blank and distant. When he doesn't say anything for the next five minutes, she starts to worry and is about to ask him what's wrong when he cracks.

 

"When it happened, I wasn't able to retrieve Connor's body." His voice is strange, almost as if it's disembodied.

 

Then the words hit her and Dinah's chest tightens like a vice. "Oh."

 

It's woefully inadequate, and not remotely what he needs, but Oliver just continues, body held taut like a mannequin.

 

"I don't know what will happen if-- I'm scared I'll freeze up. He's, he's my boy, Dinah," he rasps and it bleeds out like something broken.

 

Closing her eyes, she wraps her arms around him and pulls him close. What can she say? There is nothing she can do to possibly make this okay.

 

"I know," she whispers, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat.

 

He clings to her, burying his head into neck, shoulders shaking. Tears are soaking up the collar of her shirt and Dinah tries to hold herself together, for Oliver’s sake.

 

She's always known that underneath all that bluster, Oliver Queen is a strong man, a good man. But she has no idea how he could have lasted as long as he has. Losing as much as he has.

 

It's those hidden depths that always draw her back. Like a moth to a flame, no matter how many times she gets burned.

 

Dinah resolves to try and find Connor herself before she leaves. It'll be no easier for her to deal the final blow, she's grown to love the Connor back in her universe. But, the alternative is that Oliver will have to do it, and Dinah can't have that. The man has been through enough.

 

Connor would have forgiven her, he might have even thanked her for it. Though she won't lie to herself as say that makes it simpler or less difficult. It won't, in fact she's pretty sure that something within her will die and nothing will ever be the same again.

 

Dinah strokes Oliver's hair, muttering quiet assurances.

 

She'll have to fashion herself into steel and be ready to do whatever it takes to keep Oliver alive.

 

~~*~~

 

It turns out she needn't have worried.  

 

They were meeting a member of another survivor group, run by a woman going by the name of Sheryl, hoping to encourage trade of food and other goods to Marcus' group. Apparently this other group had a rather plentiful stock of medical supplies after raiding nearby pharmacies. Marcus was keen that they make negations, in spite of clashing with Sheryl’s group on multiple occasions.

 

Oliver was picked as a mediator, in part because of his unbiased approach and largely due to his skill out in the field. His chances of returning were reasonably higher.

 

Their instructions were to wait outside a run down convenience store near city hall. After doing a quick scope of the place and finding no zombies, they once again choose the roof as a their best vantage point.

 

They are kneeling behind a sign, alert for any signs of life.

 

"Keep your eye out for a Tiffany," Oliver says, amusement creeping into his tone.

 

"Tiffany?"

 

He nods, turning to look at her. "A woman in Sheryl's group or camp, whatever the hell you want to call it. Well, they a quite gender selective."

 

"So, no men are allowed." _Interesting._

 

Now it makes sense as to why Marcus and the others were so adamant that she go with Oliver to make said ‘negotiations’ when they've been so distrustful of her in the past. Though she will give with hindsight, it was a big leap of trust to let her in in the first place.

 

"Yes, Sheryl has a rather fascinating philosophy on why. I'm sure Tif' will give you a run quick run down."

 

Dinah raises an eyebrow. "You disagree?"

 

He shrugs, and grins. "They're still here, who am I to argue?"

 

Oliver and Dinah spend the next forty minutes playing cards, which are bent and dirty from use. Despite Oliver being able to tell which card she has by its imperfections, it's still fun and passes the time., Dinah enjoys Oliver's attempts at cheating and they way he laughs when called out.

 

They play until the clip clap of shoes hitting pavement has them straightening up. Sure enough, a figure comes whirling out from behind a corner, crowbar in hand, and heading their way.

 

She can't be more than seventeen.

 

Oliver picks up his bow and Dinah pockets the cards. Spotting them, the girl slows, eyes wide and she’s gasping for breath.  

 

They jump down to met her, Ollie raises his hand. "You must be--"

 

The girl runs straight past them.

 

Dinah stares after her when the presumed Tiffany turns her head back. "Run, too dangerous! Live today, trade tomorrow!" she shouts, before disappearing down an alley.

 

Then they hear it, off in the distance, a loud groan. It's answered by several others. Chills race up Dinah's spine. Not good. _Not good._

 

Oliver pats Dinah on the back. "Shrewd advice. Shall we run, Pretty Bird?"

 

Dinah's nodding as she's climbing up the one story building. They're racing across rooftops, groans echoing all around them. It's like they're everywhere.

 

"You think Tiffany will be alright?" she huffs out and chances a glance at Oliver.

 

"She'll have to be. We have to get out of here."

 

He looks haunted, it twists her stomach more than the increasing sound of groans from behind them. They're getting closer to the manor, but the hoard doesn't seem to be thinning out. Oliver pulls her aside, stopping on the roof of a four story apartment complex.

 

Dinah leans back against the railing. "Why are there so many?" Below, there are easily a hundred of them crowding the streets.

 

"Well, it's possible..."

 

"What is? Oliver?" she snaps.

 

"It's possible that one of the survivor camps was compromised. Judging by the numbers, it's the one by Ferrlas Diag."

 

"Where could they hide out there?" She can't picture the tourist spot being a good camouflage from zombies.

 

"They can't. I suspect they stay mostly underground in the tunnels. I haven't had much luck making contact, they're rather hostile."

 

"Now what do we do?"

 

"You're not going to like it," he says, eyes over the city.

 

"Probably not," she agrees, "but, I'm a big girl. Let's hear it."

 

Oliver tells her, not once looking at her. No, she does not like it and has no problem telling him so.

 

"I'm supposed to let you fight a zombie hoard, a hoard of zombies, by _yourself_?"

 

"Distract, not fight," Oliver points out, as if it's an important distinction. "I'll lead them elsewhere while you hightail it home."  

 

"No, that's stupid."

 

He bristles. "It's not ideal. But, we don't have a choice. I'll make some noise--"

 

"Louder than my Canary Cry? You know which one of us is better suited for this suicide run."

 

Oliver only has so many arrows, and whilst he aim is impeccable, he simply isn't equipped for the numbers. Dinah's trusty bat is only good for close combat, and also not suitable for killing zombies on a large scale.

 

"Deny it," she bites out.

 

He's silent for moment, and Dinah thinks she's won. But, he simply shakes his head, mouth tight. "How about, you let off your cry, I distract the stragglers, and we meet up back here?"

 

Dinah tries to think, see the possible loop hole which ends with Oliver being in more danger than herself, because she knows how he thinks. Knows that fatalistic self-sacrificing streak that he has a tendency of showing in the heat of battle.

 

She can't find any.

 

"Fifteen, twenty minutes tops," she demands in lieu of conceding.

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

And it doesn't feel right, but she can't tell if it's actually something or just her general anxiety and worry over the situation.

 

They get to the edge of the rooftop. "You take the left, I'll take the right. Sound fair, Pretty Bird?"

 

"Sure," she says, still feeling wrong footed. "Be careful," she pleads, reaching out for him.

 

He follows into her embrace easily, holding her tight. Dinah breathes him in, telling herself to calm down. They stand in each other’s arms and Dinah's eyes are prickling.

 

It's going to be fine, she can't lose her head now.

 

Eventually Oliver pulls back, thumbs at the dampness around her eyes. He doesn't say anything, but he gives her smile. It's sad around the edges and she can hold back no longer.

 

Standing on her toes, she presses her mouth to his. His lips are dry and it takes him a second or two before he's returning the kiss. It's chaste and way too short, but it's just what she needs. He runs his hand through her hair, brushing stray locks behind her ear.

 

"Please return to me, Dinah," he asks, voice warm and full of longing.

 

Dinah doesn't trust herself to speak, she simply reaches up and squeezes his hand.

 

Reluctantly, they go their separate ways. Oliver shoots a line and zips across the street. He lands on the ground level and signals her.

 

Dinah unleashes her cry, the zombies swivel in her direction, clutching their heads. Taking a deep breath, Dinah takes one last look at Ollie and starts climbing down the fire escape.

 

~~*~~

 

Twenty minutes have been and gone. There's no sign of Oliver and anxiety is tearing apart Dinah's insides.

 

She'd been able to keep of the street for the most part, the gaps between the buildings short enough for her to jump over. Dinah had lead them a good distance away, returning to wait for Oliver without being spotted on the way back.

 

Her hands are twitching. She restlessly searches the streets with her eyes, hesitant to move in case Oliver comes back and starts to worry.

 

She's starting to feel sick, on the verge of panic.

 

_Fuck it._

 

Scaling the building, she drops down onto the now empty street. It's quiet again, like when she first arrived. His name is on the edge of her lips, she has to bite down to stop herself from giving away her position. She heads in the direction Oliver had gone, moving quickly.

 

It's ten minutes in when she spots a figure lying prone on the ground, and arrow through their skull.

 

Back straight, she canvasses the area. No Oliver. But, oh, there's a blood trail. She follows it, bat in hand. The red liquid is split over a crosswalk in patches, it's smeared over the pavement and grass, leading up to a broken window.

 

It appears to be a dentist’s office, but was obviously residential at some point. Dinah enters, carefully treading over the broken glass. This time she doesn't hesitate, "Oliver?"

 

Her heart is beating in her ears and it jolts when she hears Oliver call back. Dinah runs, following his voice into one of the back rooms, the fridge, comfy chairs and coffee machine suggest it was the employee lounge.

 

Dinah's eyes zero in on Oliver. He's in a heap in front of one of the chairs.  She's on her knees beside him in an instant.

 

He breathes in, heavy and shuddering. There's a hand pressed to his neck, and Dinah has to pry it off so she can see. She despairs over what she finds. Blood and puncture marks make up the mess above Oliver's shoulder and it's all she can do not to weep. "No, no, Oliver."

 

He hushes her. "I'm glad your alright, was worried."

 

Tears fill her eyes, even so, she rolls them. "But you're not."

 

He doesn't contradict her, only pats her leg with his other hand. "It's okay, Dinah. Leave me."

 

She balks. "What? No, are you crazy?"

 

He chuckles. "Most likely."

 

There's a surreal moment where Dinah just stares at Oliver, unmoving. She knew this was a risk, Oliver had shielded her from the worst of it, but she knew.

 

She's survived without Oliver before, she can do it again. Dinah just doesn't want to. Seeing the look in her eyes, all bravado leaves him.

 

"I've been bit," he explains gently, "There's no cure. This is it, Pretty Bird."

 

"How long?" she sounds lost even to her own ears.

 

"About three days give or take. It doesn't matter--"

 

She goes to pull him up. "No, I'm taking you back."

 

Oliver jerks away. "And endanger Rose and Olivia? You know better than that, Dinah."

 

She shakes her head, dragging her fingers through her hair. She has to think of a solution, if she keeps  them apart, maybe they'll all be safe. Because Dinah can't leave Oliver behind. Logic and reason be damned.

 

Her voice is steady when she says, "Oliver, I'm not letting you die alone out here."

 

Truthfully, Dinah doesn't know if she's physically capable of walking out that door without him. God, she wishes Barbara were here. She needs someone with a clear, level head. Which is obviously not her.

 

"It's okay, I died inside a long time ago… Olivia has been the reason I've been able to keep going, and then you came back--"

 

"Please, let me take you  home," she begs, desperation coloring her tone.

 

"Dammit Dinah, just this once would you let me protect you!" His shout rings in the silence. Finally, he sighs. "You’re not gonna let me go so easily. Fine, on one condition."

 

"Name it."

 

"You have to kill me before I change, can you do that?"

 

Dinah is thrown, though she shouldn't be. There's no cure, what did she expect? If only she could think straight without this cloud grief hanging over her head.

 

She'd been preparing herself to have to kill Connor. Looks like that strength will have to be used elsewhere. Oliver, who has been by her side and cared for her since she arrived in this nightmare universe. He doesn't deserve to die a monster.

 

"Can you?" he demands,"Because if you can't you must leave me now."

 

"I-I can do it," she whispers, and her heart breaks.

 

~~*~~

 

The trek back to the Mansion is a hard one. Oliver is exhausted and has to lean most of his weight on Dinah. She doesn't mind, but it makes crossing the ditches extremely trying. When they get to the door, panting and miserable, she can't help the sarcasm that laces her tone. "See, now this is where a plank would have been convenient."

 

His sarcasm is equally as thick as he bites back, "Thank you, Captain Hindsight."

 

Rose meets them as they stumble over the threshold, frantically looking them over.

 

"Where's Olivia?" Dinah asks.

 

She blinks. "Asleep, did something happen?"

 

"I've been bit Rosie," Oliver confesses, wincing as he pulls on his wound. "Dinah wouldn't let me be zombie meat, so here we are."

 

Rose steps back, clutching her chest. "What-What does this mean?"

 

"We are going to set Oliver up in his room. Shortly after that, you're going to take Olivia down to the Arrow Cave and stay there until I come get you." It's the best plan Dinah could come up with on the way home.

 

Rose looks to Oliver who smirks. "Just gonna spend my final days here, til I have to be put down."

 

Dinah wants to whack him over the head. Instead she urges him forward towards the staircase. "Rose, get some rope so we can tie him up." Oliver starts laughing and Dinah shoots him a warning glare. "Not. A. Word."

 

~~*~~

 

Dinah sits Oliver down on his bed, takes another good look around his room. Rose brings the rope and carefully tends to Oliver's wound. The woman's face is grim as she wraps up the bandages.

 

"I hope you know what you're doing," she tells them.

 

Dinah and Oliver spend the rest of the evening hiding weapons for easy access and discussing ways to seal the room if Oliver tries to get out. Rose brings them dinner, rice with some dried vegetables, and they eat in silence. It's after that, in the flickering light of candles, that start talking about what Dinah is going to have to do.

 

Kill Oliver.

 

"You won't be killing me," he promises, "I'll already be dead."

 

She knows that, but will it feel that way? Dinah doubts it.

 

He takes her hand. "If anything, you'll be freeing me. I don't want to became one of those things."

 

She soaks up the words like a sponge, she's going to need them for when this is over.

 

"When the time comes, and you find yourself hesitating, I want you to think of Olivia. You and Rose are all that's between her and danger. Do you understand?"

 

"Yes." because she loves Olivia and she will protect her no matter what the cost.

 

Oliver closes his eyes, sighing like a weight has been lifted. He pulls her into his arms and Dinah listens to his steady heartbeat, wants to memorize that sound, because in a few short days it'll stop.

 

And it's hard to get her head around. Oliver's heart just stopping, him ceasing to exist. It's happened before and yet...

 

"Promise me something?" he asks, chin on top of her head.

 

_Anything_ , her heart says.

 

He doesn't wait for her to answer. "Please, when you go, take Olivia with you. Give her a real chance--"

 

Dinah sits back up. "Shh! Don't be silly. Of course I'll take her, Rose too. I'll look after them Ollie."

 

It's then that Rose knocks on the door. "I thought that while you're still lucid, Oliver, you might want to… say your goodbyes."

 

Dinah squeezes her eyes shut. It's too much. Oliver nods, walking over to Rose where she hands him Olivia. His expression softness as he regards the girl. It makes Dinah feel like an intruder as she watches him rock Olivia in his arms. Olivia reaches for Oliver's face, pulling absently on his beard. He presses his forehead against hers, whispering words Dinah can't hear.

 

They stay like that for a long time. Then Rose takes Olivia back downstairs. Dinah holds Oliver as he crumbles.

 

She feels selfish, forcing him to endure this.

 

~~*~~

 

Dinah checks the perimeter in the morning, if only to distract herself from Oliver's condition. He'd looked worse today, pale and coughing up blood tinged phlegm.

 

She'd had to cover him in blankets to try fight off the shivering.

 

When she returns, Oliver is sitting at his desk, sealing an envelope. He hands it to her. "This is for Olivia."

 

Dinah runs her fingers along the letter’s edge. "I'll make sure she gets it."

 

That night, he tells her his life story. How he met his Dinah, Connor, and how Olivia came to be. "I've had a good life," he says, "Y'know, aside from the zombie apocalypse. That really sucked."

 

They talk until his voice is hoarse and Dinah’s laughing until she cries.

 

~~*~~

 

She ties him to the bed when they sleep, Oliver doesn't complain, just smiles and says, "Not a bad place to end up, all things considered."

 

Dinah ignores the wiggling of his eyebrows and how hard it is to fight the smile that threatens to bloom across her face.

 

She curls up into his side, listening to his heartbeat.

 

"I'm so glad you're here," Oliver says abruptly, "Everything went to hell after you were gone."

 

Dinah doesn't know if he means her or her alternate self anymore. He speaks as if they are singular.

  
Perhaps they are.

 

"I could never stray far from you, Ollie," she tells him and it feels like a universal certainty.

 

He chuckles. "You always were too good for me, Pretty Bird. "

 

~~*~~

 

 

Oliver is coughing up blood, and shaking so hard Dinah was worried that he was having a seizure. Suddenly, he grabs her hand and grits his teeth, "I love you."

 

"I love you too," she whispers reverently, kissing him anywhere she can reach, desperate to hold on to him.

 

~~*~~

 

 

He slips away from her before she realizes it.

 

One minute, he's breathing evenly and she deems it safe enough to make a quick trip to the bathroom.

 

She spends all of five minutes in there.

 

When she enters the room, she senses something off before she sees it. Oliver is no longer on the bed. Her heart staggers in her chest and then he's lunging at her from the side. Dinah screams, and rolls out of the way, putting the bed between them.

 

Gone are Oliver's blue eyes, replaced with endless white. He snarls, cracking his knuckles as he tries to round the bed.

 

Dinah grabs her bat from behind the bed frame. It's hard to reconcile the Oliver that was with the meat puppet that's attacking her.

 

He hurtles towards her and a switch flips. It's either him, or Olivia.  

 

She swings the bat, again and again. The snarling turns into an outright howl as bones give way and blood sprays everywhere.

 

There's thump and Dinah realized at some point she's closed her eyes. Oliver's face is pulverized, Dinah starts gagging.

 

She stopped him, like she said she would.

 

~~*~~

 

 

The next two days are difficult.

 

Living through Oliver's death a second time is no easier than the first. The blood on Dinah's hands doesn't wash away, no matter how hard she scrubs. Guilt eats away at her soul, she's never felt so alone.

 

Regardless, she has a few promises to keep and she will see them through.

 

She leaves Olivia in Rose's care while she disposes of Oliver's body.

 

Step one, getting the him out of the house.

 

The ditches and trenches in the front yard were difficult to manage when Oliver was alive. Now, scaling them with a dead body on her own seems near on impossible.

 

She needs a way to get across and something to drag his body with. Dinah has already acquired some more rope from the cave, grabs a jerrican of gasoline and matches on her way.

 

Remembering one of the stories Oliver told her, Dinah ventures into the attic.

 

After some digging, she finds a sled with a black metal frame. There's a small length of painted wood for the seat, it's paint chipped and peeled. She can imagine Oliver using this when he was a kid.

 

It's not long enough, he's feet are going to drag, but there's nothing for it. She doesn't have the time to fashion one herself.

 

She takes one of the doors off it's hinges and takes it outside, throws it next to the jerrican and rope and goes back inside.

 

She runs a checklist though her head one more time and goes back to Oliver's room. It looks like a crime scene.

 

Dinah closes the door behind her and gets to work.

 

Before she moves him, Dinah tapes his hands together and wraps his face tightly with bandages. She can't risk him rising again and attacking her. Her hands tremble something fierce as they go over his eyes.

 

Next she strips the bed and wraps his body in a sheet, using a few of Oliver's belts she found to secure it.  Now the hard part.

 

Laying him on his stomach, she tries to raise him to his feet. Feeling his dead weight is almost enough to make Dinah throw up, but she preservers. It's awkward, trying to shuffle him over her shoulders while squatting.

 

Eventually her efforts pay off and she gets him draped around shoulders, having to keep him balanced by holding onto his head instead of his arm. Blood starts to soak through the sheet and she almost drops him in revulsion.

 

It takes her fifteen long minutes to get him down the stairs and to the front door.

 

She loads him into the sled, dropping him harder than she intended. His legs far extend the seat, and Dinah almost starts laughing, feeling somewhat hysterical. She slings the jerrican under her arm using some leftover rope.

 

The door won't be long enough for the final ditch. She'll see how far it takes her. The first ditch is the easiest, and she only has to raise the sled over the lip of the door. The second barely makes it and she almost pivots over the edge, her fingers digging to Oliver's body so it doesn't slid into the ditch.

 

But would that be so bad? Dinah's exhausted and she doubts she'll be able to get over that third ditch. Not without physically dragging the body herself.

 

Oliver said he'd used the ditches to burn zombies.

 

She lets go, and Oliver slides forward and into the ditch. She throws the sled in too, making sure it doesn't land on the body.

 

Pouring the gasoline over the body, she ends up using all of it in her haste. Ripping a bit of shirt she pulls out the matches Rose had given her and tries to light it. It takes a few attempts before it is lit. She throws it down on Oliver's body, watches it ignite the vapor and flames engulf the hole. Dinah steps back, surprised at the intensity.

 

She only allows herself a moment or two to watch, eyes fixated on the flame.

 

She leaves just as the stench hits.

 

~~*~~

 

 

Beyond tired, she ambles down to the cave. Rose is sitting with Olivia, eyes suspiciously wet. Dinah just wants to close her eyes and sleep for ten years.

 

She flicks on the generator, out of habit. Turning, she take off her filthy shirt covered in Oliver's blood, she doesn't want Olivia near that. Rose gasps, Dinah is about to ask why, when the woman points.

 

The computer has a message.

 

Scrambling, Dinah knocks over the chair and presses play.

 

_"Green Arrow, this is Zatanna. I have received your mayday. I'm currently searching for an old friend of ours, but, we're on our way. Hold tight."_

 

The message ends in static.

 

Dinah's is shaking and finally breaks. Sinking to the floor she doesn't try to contain her sobs, body shaking, anguish and relief so strong she can scarcely breath.

 

~~*~~  

 

 

They wait for another four days, on edge. While burning Oliver's body in the yard had been more convenient, it had attracted some unwanted attention.

 

Zombies, a plethora of them, all gathered outside the gate, groping and pushing at the fence line. It's only a matter of time before they break through.

 

"We've got to go," she tells Rose.

 

They start packing provisions. If they're careful, they might be able to slip out back and get to Marcus' camp. Dinah is past caring about invasive body checks.

 

She tries to get a message to Zatanna, but there is no answer. Frustrated, she starts barricading the front door with all the spare furniture she can find.

 

There's a loud crash. "There goes the gate," Rose says alarmed.

 

Running back upstairs, Dinah goes back into Oliver's room. Having since abandoned it, she ignores the blood stains and gore. Ripping the map off the wall she rolls it up. Then Dinah opens the trunk, carefully removes the photographs, bundles them up with the letter for Olivia and heads down stairs.

 

She tries to message Zatanna one more time. Rose waits patiently, but keeps hazarding looks towards the ceiling while trying to soothe a crying Olivia.

 

A loud snap interrupts and a portal is opening right in the middle of the cave. Zatanna steps out, Red Tornado and Captain Atom on her heels.

 

"'Sorry it took so long to get here, had to go find this guy."  Zatanna points to Captain Atom.

 

The magician looks around. "Where is Oliver?"

 

Dinah finds it hard to form words for a moment. "He, he didn't make it."

 

Zatanna blinks hard, expression turning bitter. "I'm sorry."

 

Everyone freezes, the groans are are getting louder. Dinah wonders how far they've made.

 

"I will go," Red Tornado says.

 

Zatanna  puts a soothing hand on Dinah's shoulder. "Tell me what happened."

 

Dinah does, words tumbling from her lips. Zatanna listens calmly. "I can get you home. You don't belong here."

 

"And Olivia and Rose?"

 

Zatanna's smile is sad when she says, "There's nothing left here for Olivia, take her with you."

 

"Rose?" Dinah asks.

 

It's Rose who answers, "I can't go with you."

 

"Why?"

 

The woman merely shakes her head. "This is my universe, and I want to see it out."

 

"That's it? This is your life--"

 

"Exactly," Rose says, stern. "The very life you saved, or your alternate did. I've taken care of Oliver and Olivia as promised. Still, I feel there's is more for me to do here."

 

"Likewise," Zatanna says, with a tired grin.

 

The stubborn set of the Rose's jaw tells Dinah the woman isn't going to back down. She hears Oliver telling her to let it be, so she does.

 

"Thank you for everything," she says as Rose gives her Olivia.

 

Rose's eyes glisten. "Good luck, and be happy my friend."

 

"Be safe," Dinah replies, choked with emotion.

 

"Ready to go home?" Zatanna asks. "Just click your heels three times and say; ‘There's no place like home’."

 

Dinah doesn't even have the energy to laugh. Olivia is in her arms, face red from crying. She's warm and solid in Dinah's arms. _There's no place like home._

 

Zatanna's magic words become muffled and the world falls away.

 

~~*~~

 

Dinah's standing in the middle of a warehouse, holding a baby.  It's dark outside and the there are a group of unconscious men tied up around her.

 

Helena is staring at her in shock.

 

It's in the quiet that she can hear the commotion on Helena's comm, the voice carries and Dinah feels her legs start to give way.

 

"Huntress," Barbara demands, "What's going on? Have you located Black Canary?"

 

Olivia shifts and Dinah summons the last of strength to land on her knees.

 

"Is that a kid?" Helena asks, bewildered. "Where the hell did you go?"

 

Dinah laughs, ignoring Helena's perturbed expression. "It's a really long story."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> My first long fic is finished, yay! I hope you liked it :D For now there's a vodka cruiser in fridge with my name it, toodles!


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